How is my itinerary shaping up?

[LegalCat]

Ok...

 

We arrive in Honolulu on May 29 at around 2:30 pm... I figured we would not plan anything that evening, just head to the hotel, check in, maybe go for a walk, have a nice dinner etc...

 

Friday -

7 am - off road hummer tour (this is it: http://www.shoretrips.com/common/search4.asp?rcode=HAW&lcode=HNL&tcode=003003)

Its approximately 5 hours. So we should be back at our hotel around lunchtime... I would like to go to a luau sometime during the trip so I have to see if maybe we do one today or on another island...

 

Saturday -

Nothing planned... sleep in and head to the ship early.

 

Sunday -

in Maui - nothing planned yet

 

Monday -

in Maui until 2 pm

I booked a Sunrise Tour that picks us up at 2:45 AM and is about 7 hours

(this is it: http://www.shoretrips.com/common/search4.asp?rcode=HAW&lcode=KAH&tcode=005214)

 

Tuesday -

in Hilo from 8 am to 6 pm

I booked a Volcano National Park Tour that leaves at 9:30 am and is 5 1/2 to 6 hours...

(This is it: http://www.shoretrips.com/common/search4.asp?rcode=HAW&lcode=HIL&tcode=024017)

 

Wednesday

in Kona from 7 am to 6 pm

I am booking a helicopter "island spectacular" tour from Blue Hawaiian helicopters.

 

Thursday -

in Kauai from 8 am to overnight

Nothing planned

 

Friday -

Leave kauai and at sea

nothing planned

 

Saturday -

get back and head home.

[LegalCat]

Already revised lol... thanks to a wonderful TA who saves me every time

 

We arrive in Honolulu on May 29 at around 2:30 pm... I figured we would not plan anything that evening, just head to the hotel, check in, maybe go for a walk, have a nice dinner etc...

 

Friday -

7 am - off road hummer tour (this is it: http://www.shoretrips.com/common/sea...L&tcode=003003)

Its approximately 5 hours. So we should be back at our hotel around lunchtime... I would like to go to a luau sometime during the trip so I have to see if maybe we do one today or on another island...

 

Saturday -

Nothing planned... sleep in and head to the ship early.

 

Sunday -

in Maui - nothing planned yet

 

Monday -

in Maui until 2 pm (the change here is the pickup time and location, in my first go around I picked the wrong departure area)

I booked a Sunrise Tour that picks us up at 3:20 AM and is about 7 hours

(this is it: http://www.shoretrips.com/common/search4.asp?rcode=HAW&lcode=KAH&tcode=005214)

 

Tuesday -

in Hilo from 8 am to 6 pm

The tour I had picked requires 4 people minimum so we changed to this one instead:

Volcano National Park Sightseeing - its 4.5 hours and $96 p/p

(this is it: http://www.shoretrips.com/common/search4.asp?rcode=HAW&lcode=HIL&tcode=003102)

 

Wednesday

in Kona from 7 am to 6 pm

I am booking a helicopter "island spectacular" tour from Blue Hawaiian helicopters.

 

Thursday -

in Kauai from 8 am to overnight

Nothing planned

 

Friday -

Leave kauai and at sea

nothing planned

 

Saturday -

get back and head home.

[diverearl]

Saturday - Nothing planned... sleep in and head to the ship early.

 

After arrival and check in, get a taxi or bus and go tour Diamond Head - Very close to where you will be staying, cheap and you will enjoy a glad we did that moment a few hundred times over the next few years.

 

Pearl Harbor on your departure day is another wouldn't want to miss item while on Oahu and could easily be done before boarding. Cheap (Free) with a taxi to and from, and very moving to stand over 1100 men that died for our freedom while watching oil float up from their ship.

 

Sunday - in Maui

-

 

Road to Hana, without question Road to Hana ;) .

 

Tuesday -in Hilo

 

If you rent a car and drive over to VNP and go see the Lava flow, then maybe drive to Akaka Falls have an expensive lunch and you will have saved a little money and had a great day. Really very easy to do this day on your own.

 

Thursday - in Kauai from 8 am to overnight - Nothing planned

 

Rent you a car and drive up to Wiamea Canyon or drive to the north side of the island and hike the Kalalau Trail to see beautiful scenery plus great views of the beaches beginning at Ke'e State Beach Park. Even a twenty minute hike on the trail rewards you with unforgettable views. We did both with just one day in port and I sure wouldn't have wanted to have missed either

 

Saturday - get back and head home.

 

OK now you can take a break and reflect on all the great things you did and saw that you might not have taken the effort to have enjoyed.

[LegalCat]

Thanks great suggestions :) The reason I picked the tours I picked is that we got gift certificates for them on our honeymoon registry so we were kind of locked into doing them as opposed to renting a car and doing someone thing on our own...

[beachchick]

The currently accessible lava flow is not in VNP. The flow is outside the park and cannot be accessed by going to VNP and hiking over. It's not safe and not allowed (not to mention how much time it would take). You'll need to go through the Puna district and in the service road to or past Kalapana to get to wherever it is exactly they're setting up the viewing areas.

 

If you truly enjoy long scenic drives, then the RTH is a good choice. But you must commit the day to it. It takes at least 7 to 8 hours to really do it. Whoever drives must be comfortable on narrow winding roads. It's not "unsafe," but it's not your basic easy road either.

 

Definitely agree that Pearl Harbor should be a must do. You could easily do it super early on the day you embark, then go back to the hotel, check out, and head to the ship. Don't miss this extremely moving place.

 

A trip to Waimea Canyon is an excellent choice.

 

We always rent cars, so I can't help with any excursions. If you do decide to rent a car for any port, do it now; do not wait until you are there and then hope that you'll be able to hop on one of the rental company's shuttles and get a car for the day. They do sometimes sell out, and the walkup rates in Hawaii are (usually) quite high.

 

Have a lovely honeymoon.

 

beachchick

[diverearl]

Thanks great suggestions :) The reason I picked the tours I picked is that we got gift certificates for them on our honeymoon registry so we were kind of locked into doing them as opposed to renting a car and doing someone thing on our own...

 

It will be hard to go wrong with any itinerary you choose for any of these islands. Have you considered a helicopter or fixed wing airplane ride over the Pali Coast / Wiamea Canyon. For the money it is truly a highlight and when done with gift certificates it would be even better. Anyway, hope ya have a great trip.

 

A good link with photos of the new flow (just click the pic and it gives great closeups http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/update/images.html

[Terre]

On the first day in Maui you could drive the Road to Hana, if you like that kind of thing. There is a lot of beautiful scenery on the way. You can pull over for great shots. If you do this, take some fruit and bread from the buffet with you or order sandwiches from room service before you leave. You can stop at the black sand beach park for lunch and eat it there. It is an all day drive and it's driving around winding mountains...if you're not used to that, it can be tricky. It was worth the time it took in my opinion.

 

On our first day in Kaua'i, we took an Air Ventures tour over the island. It was an awesome view! I agree that you should not go to Hawai'i and leave without seeing Pearl Harbor...if we ever get back to Hawai'i, I would go there again.

[beachchick]

Just a reminder for others (not you LegalCat; I know you're on PoAm) that only pax on PoAm are allowed to take any fresh food off the ship. Hawaii's agricultural laws are very strict--and with good reason.

 

Another note is that the crew on PoAm have been instructed not to assist pax in putting together a "picnic" to take ashore. There are several reasons, including time involved if 500 pax all want picnics packed that would affect the crew's onboard work; the fact that the cruise line kind of figures that shipboard food is meant to be eaten onboard; and because pax often do not store food properly, eat it anyway, and then blame the cruise line for "bad food." You will need to bring containers and ziplocs for ice and to store any items you order from room service or get at the buffet. Do be sure to use plenty of ice (cheapie containers work well for this as they're less messy than ziplocs) and have a good cooler (even if it means you have to buy a $5 styrofoam one--and I am not a fan of styrofoam).

 

Anyway, be prepared to do all your picnic prep yourselves.

 

beachchick

[LegalCat]

Thanks everyone :) some great advice and things to consider...